Just Like Me
by The Smiling Fox
Summary: Orochimaru had told Sasuke he wanted his body. The boy never quite listened to his threats. That is, until he was forced to change into the creature his sensei had dreamed of. "Look, Sasuke. You're just like me." Gift for Rosebunse/SLIGHT OroSasu


******Hey, y'all! Another one-shot/gift fic. This time, it goes to Rosbunse, who has loyally reviewed not just me, but many, many authors here on fanfiction. We all—I especially—thank you for your encouragement!**

* * *

Sasuke whined as a knocking reached his ears, turning to see his door begin to creak open. The boy sat up instantly, eyes red and beaming within the darkness of his room. Whoever this was interrupting his sleep would pay dearly. Unless, of course, it happened to be one of the only two people he could not harm—Kabuto, to be exact. The grey haired man stood silently in the doorway, a sick smile sitting comfortably on his face.

"Good evening, Sasuke-kun. I hope I didn't wake you."

"What is it you want," the young ninja snapped curtly, sharingan flashing with his intensity. The medic knew better than to bother him at such a time. This was his relaxation period, and, if disturbed, he'd retaliate without mercy. Kabuto took a few steps inside the cold room, smirk ever-present on his thin lips.

"Orochimaru-sama wants a word with you. He says it's urgent, so come as you are," the medic informed and, despite what Sasuke had expected, stayed standing in the doorway. The boy cursed and threw his covers off of himself, sharingan blazing fervently. They stared at one another, the young Uchiha doing his best to frighten the older man while said ninja just chuckled to himself. "Come on, Sasuke-kun. Wouldn't want to keep Orochimaru waiting, would you? Remember what happened last time?" A snarl was all he received after that comment. But it did get Sasuke to his feet. He began making his way over to his closet, but Kabuto stopped him. "No time for that. Come on."

"Half _clothed_?" the child seethed, motioning angrily toward his boxers. The silver-haired medic simply snickered and turned, beginning to walk down the hallway. Sasuke sighed and punched the closet door, stamping out after the man in a bout of fury. How dare Orochimaru summon him like some sort of dog. He was supposed to be the favorite; the pampered guest that receive the training he needed. The pale child grumbled low in his throat, and he crossed his arms over his warm, toned chest. He wouldn't admit it, but it was quite cold around the base. Especially so when all you're clothed with is your underwear. Sasuke's cheeks flushed slightly, embarrassed for being so exposed. But he wouldn't show weakness. Not in front of Kabuto or Orochimaru. That'd certainly get him another month of taunting and pestering. He'd already endured such a thing from the two men not too long ago. Sasuke had apparently gotten a bit loud in his sleep—from a nightmare, no doubt—and awakened Orochimaru himself with his desperate shouts. The snake had been utterly stunned to find his student curled up in a ball with the covers wrapped around him in a vice-grip. The sannin had startled him up simply with his fit of laughter, successfully humiliating the crying Uchiha permanently.

Sasuke's black eyes looked down as he felt the same shame settle on his shoulders, not wanting to glare any longer at the back of the medic's head. He rubbed his arms a bit as more goosebumps arose over his ivory skin.

"You've grown a lot, Sasuke-kun."

"It's only been a handful of months. Stop patronizing me, you worthless lapdog," Sasuke snapped in response, hearing a laugh echo down the corridor as Kabuto snickered at the boy.

"Just trying to make you feel more comfortable, Sasuke. I hear nightmares are caused by things like—"

"Shut up!" the Uchiha screeched, sharingan activating once again. He jumped as the door beside them flew open, smashing against the wall and making Sasuke's heart leap up into his throat. He had been so furious he hadn't noticed that they had arrived, and he'd obviously annoyed his teacher with his yelling. Orochimaru's golden eyes were glued to his shorter student, long, ebony hair covering his right orb.

"_Silence_," he hissed, the sheer intensity sending vibrations through the floor and up Sasuke's legs. Kabuto bowed respectfully in contrast to the child beside him, who simply glared with a grimace on his lips. "What the fuck do you think you're doing stomping and screaming in the middle of the night?"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing summoning me in the middle of the night?" Sasuke retorted, arms still hugging himself and trying to keep the chill-bumps away. Orochimaru lowered his head, body radiating killing intent. Kabuto shuddered and took a few steps back, swallowing thickly and watching his master with wide, grey eyes. "If you don't need me, then I'm going back to sleep—"

"Don't you dare move an inch, _boy_," the snake snapped and shot an anaconda at the Uchiha, who gasped and winced as the reptile bit into his arm and curled around him. "Kabuto, start getting the medicine ready."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," the medic yipped in a shaky voice, scampering behind his leader and disappearing in to the darkness of Orochimaru's room—or whatever it was the snake lived in. Sasuke struggled wildly with the animal coiled around him, yelping out when his teacher's hand grabbed a glob of his hair and yanked his head back.

"As for you . . . _Sasuke_," he spat furiously. "I thought I taught you your place already? Do you still think yourself so high and mighty?" Sasuke glared heatedly behind his dark bangs, refusing to cower . . . no matter how much he wanted to. Orochimaru was silent for a time, but eventually a smirk curled back his lips as he swiped his tongue over them. The smaller male shivered at the sight, hairs standing straight up all across his skin. The snake seemed to notice, and Sasuke hated that. "Oh? Are you frightened?"

"No."

"You lie as well? Perfect. More reason to punish you," the man mumbled low in his throat, hissing a bit toward the end. The Uchiha shuddered at the sound, heart skipping a beat. Punishment? He'd been _punished_ by this man before. He could take it again, right? A few hours of beatings would be all, and he'd been dealing with getting punched his entire life as a ninja. Nothing to it, he knew. Though his arrogance was again deflated as his teacher pulled the waistband of his boxers, letting go and allowing it to snap against his sensitive, lower stomach. A small gasp slipped past his defense, making him blush a tad in frustration. Orochimaru simply smirked. "You're such a child, Sasuke-kun. I'm a male, too. Don't be so shy." Sasuke growled in response to his remark, utterly humiliated now. Why couldn't he mask his emotions better? It simply wasn't fair. Before he could say a retort, Kabuto walked up behind the pale snake.

"Orochimaru-sama, everything is ready. All we need now is," the medic looked at Sasuke pointedly, "Sasuke . . . and the summons, of course." The Uchiha let out a small grunt as he was yanked in to the room, eyes pulsing as the bright light from above turned on at a blinding degree. The black-haired boy winced as he was shoved onto something cold and smooth, snakes slithering off his chest and crawling back up their master's arm. Said man smiled down at his student, golden eyes filled with excitement. The young child on the table opened his mouth to order the older ninja to tell him what was going on. But thick, leather straps encircled his wrists before he could lift himself up off whatever his back was rubbing against, keeping him down and submissive. He struggled slightly, feeling his ankles restrained as well. What was this? What on Earth was going on?

"Just stay still for me, Sasuke-kun. I promise Kabuto won't hurt you too much," the snake purred and caressed his student's flushed cheek, smirking as he watched the youth's eyes widen with shock. Sasuke was, to say the least, horrified. He'd watched many experiments and been disgusted by each one. Kabuto was almost as demented as Orochimaru when it came to altering the human body. He enjoyed it, which was what made the Uchiha so hateful toward the medic. How could anyone enjoy causing so much pain to innocent lives? His brother's face bursted into the forefront of his mind, making him ball his hands into tight fists. Orochimaru mistook this action for fear and licked his upper lip hungrily. "It'll be alright, my boy." Sasuke jumped as he felt his teacher's cold hand rub his cheek more, shuddering at the contact. He shook his head violently, wanting those long, bony fingers off of his skin.

"Stop! Let me go! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, please. You know everything I do is to help you gain power to kill that dreadful brother of yours. This is no different. We are going to help you get stronger," the snake purred and leaned back from the table. Sasuke tried his best to follow him with his eyes, but his neck's movement was limited. A growl of irritation escaped him.

"Tell me what you're planning on doing to me . . . Now," the Uchiha ordered, onyx-colored eyes spinning into the sharingan. The crimson glow almost hummed with its intensity. The child yelped as a sudden pinching rushed up from his bicep, looking to see Kabuto injecting something into him. "What is that? What are you doing? Dammit, tell me what's going on!"

"Silence!" Orochimaru suddenly yelled, command echoing about the room and bouncing off each wall. The two other ninja shut their mouths at the demand and turned their gazes toward another place. The snake wasn't a good thing to mess with when angered. "I don't want to hear another word from you, _boy_." A low growl escaped the black-haired child at such an insult, but he didn't dare retaliate. He couldn't deny how cold his blood had run after the snake had snapped, nor could he deny how much he was shaking. "And as for you, Kabuto, get on with it. We don't have all day."

"Yes, my Lord," the man replied in a shivering voice, and Sasuke sent him a disgusted glare. The boy grimaced. _Helpless dog_, he thought bitterly, teeth biting and chewing his bottom lip in anxiety. He was _not_ looking forward to whatever Orochimaru's sick mind had thought up. He tensed noticeably as Kabuto's gloved fingers trailed up his arm and squeezed experimentally, searching for his vein. Orochimaru licked his lips as he watched, admiring the boy's form. He would be astounding once this procedure was complete. The man's yellow eyes fell on his assistant, who quaked miserably under his gaze.

"Steady, Kabuto-kun, we can't have you missing his vein," he breathed in a deep voice, tongue licking his upper lip—once again—as he listened to his student's surprised whimpering. Sasuke hadn't been expecting such a large needle—nor a second one at all. Though it didn't really matter; every shot hurt, no matter the size. The Uchiha groaned in the back of his throat as he felt a heavy liquid pass through the needle and into his bloodstream, making him feel nauseous and light-headed. A cold hand brushed through his hair and a laugh reached his ears. He knew it was his teacher, Orochimaru. What was he planning to do? What was he being injected with? His panic returned and he pulled vigorously at the leather restraints, eyes flashing red once more as his bloodlines activated. Orochimaru pushed down roughly on his chest, pulling a shocked yelp from the child.

"Hush, now. Stop your wriggling, Sasuke-kun."

"What do you plan to do! I . . . You can't do this!" he yelled as he began to drift, catching a glimpse of Kabuto's scalpel before his head lolled bonelessly to the side. Fear and helplessness boiled within him as he yet again heard his sensei snicker darkly. The man's breath tickled his ear as his eyes began to close.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun. I can."

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a jolt, ebony eyes darting about wildly in an attempt to take in their surroundings. The boy felt warmth pulsing around him, as well as a gooey substance he could not place his finger on. He tried lifting his hands to his face, realizing how slow his movements were. It was like he was under water. The Uchiha inhaled shakily as realization hit him.

He _was_ under water.

Or perhaps not, he corrected himself. How could he be breathing if he was submerged? The boy reached out ahead of him blindly and his palms pressed against a wall of some sort; moreover, a thin film or sheet. It was smooth to the touch and he pushed harder against it. It stretched slightly, but did not tear. Sasuke rolled a bit, coming to the conclusion he was inside some sort of capsule—or better yet, and egg. What the _fuck_ was Orochimaru thinking? He heard a muffled voice from outside his prison's transparent wall, seeing a blurry outline of what he knew to be the bastard that had done this to him. The Uchiha screamed out in rage, clawing and pushing against the film with all his might, though his efforts were fruitless. He stopped after no more than a few seconds, breathing heavily as he ran out of energy. An outline of a hand pressed over the capsule's thin exterior and Sasuke watched it with frightened eyes. Was he really inside some sort of . . . egg? Was this part of the experiment Kabuto had been planning? The Uchiha yelled out in rage and twisted wildly, blushing and freezing as he noticed he had no clothes on. How had he . . . He didn't remember being undressed before he passed out.

_Filthy bastards!_ he growled in his mind, watching the hand rub up and down over the egg's thin shell.

"Calm . . . Sasuke . . . morphing . . ." Sasuke heard barely through the sticky puss filling his prison. The boy kicked and screamed helplessly, eyes squeezed shut in terror. He would die in here if he didn't get out! What were those two thinking; sticking him in this God-forsaken _egg_. Sasuke's thrashing died out soon enough, leaving him panting for breath, suspended in the watery substance. He heard his sensei's all-too-familiar cackle and the bump as his palm padded the shell. The noise echoed in the child's head, giving him a slight headache and making the boy disoriented. Another cackle could be heard. Sasuke gave one final kick to the interior of his prison, pushing himself backwards and into the opposite wall. He withered against the slick film, collapsing and regaining his strength.

Orochimaru leaned away from his masterpiece, licking his lips hungrily.

"Kabuto-kun . . . I think you might have outdone yourself," he hissed pleasantly, golden eyes locked on his soon-to-be vessel's crumpled form, which lied exhaustedly at the bottom of the capsule. Kabuto smirked behind his master, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He really had spent years working on the idea; he would have been offended if Orochimaru had been anything other than awestruck.

"It took a lot of time, but it should work as planned. Sasuke will begin to change soon. All we need to do is make sure that jutsu doesn't wear off, the one allowing him to breathe," the medic explained, stepping closer to the object of his longest fantasy. "It really is wonderful. Sasuke-kun will be so much stronger when he hatches. It won't take nearly as much time to train him afterwards. You could have his body in three years instead of four." Orochimaru's grin only widened, yellow orbs gleaming brilliantly as he examined the egg further.

"How long till he finishes changing, Kabuto. I want to know."

"Weeks, perhaps. Maybe a month. Two at the most. His entire DNA is being rewritten as we speak, my lord. It will take some time before he can leave this stage of the process. I assure you it will be magnificent to watch, though. The changes will start inside his body and work their way to physical characteristics. That's when you will most likely want to see him."

"Perfect," the snake replied, caressing the smooth shell once again as he saw Sasuke draw close again, hands clawing desperately at the layers encasing him. The child's sharingan glowed eerily in the pod, but the terrible red irises only sparked more hunger within him. With a final pursing of his lips, the man turned and left the room. Kabuto bowed as his lord left, rising back up as the door slammed shut. He sighed a bit and returned to looking at Sasuke, who was glaring with all his might.

"You should be happy I don't let you drown in there," he snarled, though he knew the boy could not understand him. A smile graced his features. Once he was done changing, his hearing would be ten times stronger. He couldn't wait to see the look on his lord's face when the young boy was finally able to leave his egg and move onto training again. Of course, he'd be weak for a while. Being suspended in such a weightless environment would probably be terrible for his muscles. He'd be defenseless for the first few days after hatching. A new, more selfish thought came to mind. Why was he helping his opponent? He didn't care much at all when it came to the Uchiha, no, but if it made Orochimaru-sama pleased . . .

_I could be trying to create more antibodies for lord Orochimaru, but instead I'm stuck taking care of the pampered pooch_, he grumbled mentally, arms crossing over his chest as he watched the child thrash and pound his fists against his prison's walls. The scene brought a smile to his features. The boy was so smart, and yet so ignorant. He was still such a child in comparison to Orochimaru and himself. Having a young boy around did make things more interesting. Kabuto hadn't spent much time with children in the first place, and he was using this time to study up on them. Of course, he knew, Sasuke was probably an unusual test subject. The boy was anything but normal.

"Let me out of this damn thing!" Sasuke screamed into the goo, hoping against hope the medic could hear his cries of fury. If he did, it'd be easier to intimidate him. His sharingan was obviously not affecting the other like he'd hoped it would. In fact, it was doing little to nothing, besides draining his energy and chakra. He deactivated them as he saw the grey-haired man approach his container slowly, getting closer to the interior shell in a weak attempt to see more clearly. It did not make much of a difference, but it did allow him to see the wide smirk spread across the other's smug face. The black-eyed child ground his teeth menacingly. Kabuto simply laughed at the sight, knowing he was safe as long as the boy was inside the egg. Outside was another story. He'd made the shell very hard to break through, but the task was still not impossible. If Sasuke tried hard enough, and luck fell on his side, he could actually tear the film quite easily. A flaw in the medic's design, he supposed.

The grey-eyed man smiled in amusement as the youth begin pounding away once more, screaming in fury.

"Let me out! Let me out of this damn thing, you sick mother_fucker_!"

"I'll be back in a few hours to hook up your IV. Be a good boy and get some sleep," Kabuto explained in a mocking tone, completely ignoring the boy's harsh insult. He turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the screeching child alone with his rage.

* * *

Sasuke awoke slowly, eyelids heavy with drowsiness. He was floating at the bottom of his— . . . _prison_, which he soon found was not all that uncomfortable. The disgusting, puss-like fluid filling the pod was also unlike what he'd expected at fist. It was warm and relaxed his muscles well, though Sasuke was not sure how; moreover, he was not exactly sure if he should be inhaling it so easily. It might be poisonous, the voice in his head would say off and on. Then again, if it had been, he would have been sick or dead long, long ago. He felt fine, to be quite frank. He hadn't felt so rested in months. The silence the egg offered him allowed his sleep to be undisturbed, and the warmth pulsing throughout its shell and fluids made it almost hard to stay awake at all. Yes, he was growing fond of the horrid thing, and that fact still made a spark of anger flare up in his brain, made him want to start fighting for escape again. But it was just too warm, too comfy to do anything but rest. The child let his eyes close, exhaustion creeping up on him and stealing him away into dark, sweet abyss.

He awoke again feeling unsatisfied, as if the cause of his arousing was not natural, but brought on by someone outside. Kabuto, his mind decided immediately, but after a quick look-about, he found that no one was around the pod. The cell was empty and the lights were still off. Confusion swelled in his head like storm clouds. What had made him stir after so many peaceful days? Certainly not his egg, no. It must have been someone rummaging around in his room, perhaps a servant or even a snake-pet belonging to Orochimaru. The boy stayed alert for the next three minutes, waiting for a sound to reach his ears and give away the meaning of his disturbance, but none did. Not a noise sounded from the darkness. All was well, and yet—somehow—Sasuke knew it wasn't. The Uchiha gently raised his arm in preparation to comb through his hair, but he froze up before completing the movement. His skin was raw looking, thin and delicate as if all but one of its layers had been scrubbed away, leaving nothing but a sheer film that barely hid the veins pulsing underneath. The child stared in horror at the rest of his body, finding it to be the exact same. Panicked breaths began to be all he was emitting, black orbs darting from one hand to the other.

_What's . . . happening to me!_ he thought madly, too nerve-wracked to notice the door to his room open and a figure stalk his way inside. No, he did not notice the other person until a thump sounded against his pod's shell, making him look up with wide, terrified eyes. Orochimaru's yellow eyes gazed down at him through the blurry film, almost glowing with delight. Sasuke pressed his nose against the interior wall, eyes narrowing as he glared ferociously at the ninja.

"What did you do to me! What's happening to my body?" he cried out, but he only received a muffled laugh in return. He fisted his hands and punched the shell in a fit of anger, squealing as his knuckles ached. The film was a lot stronger than he remembered. Or perhaps without a protective cover of skin over his nerves anymore they were more sensitive.

The snake grinned down at the child in delight, hands clasped behind his back. Kabuto had been correct, now the real changes were about to begin. The past week had been dull to watch. The boy had simply slept away at the bottom of the capsule without so much as a twitch of his finger. But now, now things would get interesting. The man let out a low noise, a hum of satisfaction that Kabuto grinned in response to. He was pleased that his lord was so moved by his experiment, his chest puffed out with pride.

"His new skin should start to show up in the coming days. It will be pale, just as you asked for."

"Good. Very good, Kabuto. What about those senses of his. They will be improving soon too, correct?"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

"Excellent." Sasuke snarled at their conversation, snarled at home they utterly ignored his very presence. The boy tried pushing against the walls, stopping when his sensitive, unprotected nerves began to burn and pulse painfully. New skin? Is that what this was for? New _skin_? What were they thinking; his skin had been perfectly fine, smooth and without a flaw. Though, he doubted this experiment was based solely on appearances.

"Explain what's going on! Now!" he ordered with a growl, trying his best to make his sharingan look more intimidating.

"Sasuke-kun, calm yourself. You will be out of there in no time. Go back to sleep," Orochimaru chuckled in a mocking tone, turning on his heel and stalking out of the room with Kabuto right behind him. The Uchiha sluggishly sunk back to the bottom of his egg, resting in the curve he found there. He couldn't deny how scared he was, being so defenseless and confused and whatnot. It was not something he was used to coping with. The boy always knew what was going on, what the plan was, what the reasons for something were. But this? This affected his entire DNA sequence and he hadn't the slightest clue as to what was happening. It drove him mad, making his weakened chakra spike for a minute in frustration. Sasuke chewed his lip anxiously, making himself comfortable, even though he was not going to sleep just yet. He didn't want to look like he was following Orochimaru's advice. No, he'd never do such a thing. He mulled over that and his anger for the next hour or so before sleep finally took over and his eyelids slid closed.

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a scream, sweat pouring down his skin. Pain was all his mind was registering at the moment, and it clouded his vision with a miserable haze. His skin, his body, his entire _person_ was on fire. Jolts of agony rocketed up his spine uncontrollably, causing tears to form in the corners of his blood-shot, ebony eyes. What was going on? What could be happening to make him feel so terrible? The Uchiha looked down at his skin, expecting to see his veins quite clearly. Instead, horrid, white, scale-like flaps were crystallizing over his raw-looking, pink flesh. Scales. _Scales_!

"Fuck!" he sputtered, suddenly finding himself short of breath. Better yet, finding himself without breath _at all_. Sasuke coughed and tried to inhale multiple times, lungs beginning to burn as the warm puss filling his egg began seeping into them. It made his throat constrict and he began clawing at the egg's walls desperately. Lights turned on around him and shadows rushed around his prison. Kabuto's low curse reverberated around Sasuke's mind as the child began thrashing more desperately, pleading and begging for air in bitter, panicked silence. His mouth gaped as he involuntarily inhaled, brain going into autopilot and forcing him to take a much-needed breath. The boy's hands wrapped around his throat, kicks slowing down as his eyes grew glossy. That's when he felt it, the chakra forcing its way through his egg's shell and into his neck. It wriggled and stung, but the burning in his lungs outmatched any pain the medic's chakra could have caused him. The flesh on the right side of his throat stretched and parted, gill-like flaps lifting up and allowing oxygen to flow into his collapsing lungs. The Uchiha coughed and sputtered in shock, too dizzy to pay heed to the fact that he now had gills.

"Well, that was close, wasn't it? I'm going to need to keep a closer eye on you, Sasuke-kun. Your scales are coming in nicely, by the way," Kabuto's smooth voice floated over him, though he could hear the fading worry in it still. He had been panicking, too. And why shouldn't he? Orochimaru wouldn't give him a moment's notice before skinning him alive if he allowed his precious vessel to die. Though, now that his near-death experience was over, he had time to dwell on another topic of interest. How in the world had Kabuto managed to give him gills, and without him even knowing? It seemed almost . . . unreal. Then again, living in an egg and growing scales didn't make much sense either. The child coughed a bit as he gently messed with the flaps on his neck, playing and flicking them gently. Another amused chuckle reached his ears, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes viciously at the grey-haired man, who was just out of reach. If he wasn't, the Uchiha would have clobbered him a long time ago.

"What am I becoming . . . What are you doing to me," the youth hissed through gritted teeth, head down and shoulders shaking.

"I can't hear you, Sasuke-kun. Speak a little louder," Kabuto replied smoothly, dodging the question outrightly. He was pinned with two, faded, glowing orbs, a playful smirk gracing his features at the crimson eyes. "Calm down. When you get through this stage, you'll be almost twice the ninja you were before. You will be pleased, I assure you." A pause was Sasuke's reaction this time. Would this really make him stronger? If so, then he supposed he could deal with it a bit longer. Of course, Orochimaru was known for his twisted words. The man could easily say one thing and mean something completely different.

"Why couldn't you forewarn me? Why did you have to go about this with such secrecy if that is the objective? Orochimaru should know I seek that from him, and if he has a way of giving it to me I'll gladly agree," the boy growled, raising his voice so Kabuto could hear him correctly. The medic smirked at his question, seemingly enjoying his confused state.

"That I do not know. Orochimaru-sama preferred to make it more . . . amusing, I suppose. You did put up quite a struggle while we put you in there. Even out of consciousness you still manage to frustrate the hell out of me." Sasuke glared angrily at his gruff insult, pushing away from the shell and attempting to vanish into the murky gunk surrounding him. Kabuto began laughing again at his retreat, though he stopped as the door was thrown open. The jeering stopped and silence encircled Sasuke for minutes. He was curious as to what Kabuto was doing out there, though he guessed he was quaking under his sensei's glare. Orochimaru had no doubt arrived to check on him, and it didn't surprise the Uchiha at all. The medic had almost lost him no more than a moment earlier. The snake was surely swelling with rage.

"Kabuto," he heard the man hiss poisonously, anger dripping from his tongue. His statement was simple, albeit his reasons for saying were not. Kabuto and he knew that from experience. A small smile graced the boy's lips. The grey-haired bastard was about to be taught a lesson, and he had a front-row seat.

"Lord Orochimaru, I can explain everything. It's alright now; Sasuke is stable."

"There shouldn't have been a reason for him not to be. I thought I told you to keep an eye on him."

"I have, my lord! You see, the chakra—"

"I don't want to hear any excuses. They sicken me. The next time I hear you screw up this badly, I'll make sure you don't wake up for a few days," the snake-eyed ninja snarled, sending waves of dark chakra throughout the cell. Sasuke and Kabuto both quivered under the intense killing-intent. Sasuke curled up near the bottom of his egg, seeking refuge there behind the thin, yet unbreakable, shell encasing him. He was relieved to know that neither Orochimaru or Kabuto could see him clearly, or his pride would be squashed as a result to his posture. He flinched as a smack resounded around the cell, blood splattering across the shell and slowly dripping down its curved exterior. It was a deep red color, and the way it dribbled down around him made Sasuke sick to his stomach. He never had liked blood. Perhaps that's why he was in his current situation: being week. What ninja feared blood? The black-haired boy looked over his scales, lips growing thin. If this was what he had to do, he'd do it.

* * *

He awoke to shuffling and mumbles, feeling his body sway back and forth, as if his pod was being moved somewhere. In fact, it was. To a table, to be specific. A medical table, covered in a white cloth with a single scalpel on it. Sasuke was surprised he could see such detail. His sight had obviously grown accustomed to his foggy prison. His hearing, too. His senses all had increased dramatically the past few days, shocking Sasuke, but also pleasing him greatly. He loved the feeling of getting stronger, especially when the after-effects were this noticeable. The Uchiha grunted as he was set down on the table, fingers grazing his shell as he attempted to steady his head's spinning.

"He's ready. Get him out, already." A voice he did not recognize spoke to the left of the table, words seeping anxiousness. Sasuke widened his eyes at the order. Was he really getting out of this damn prison? How long had it been? Weeks? Months? He'd lost track of time long, long ago. The boy flinched as a knife pierced the shell, digging into the jelly-like fluid inside with a sickening _squelsh_ sound. The child watched it rip and tear its way through the side, making Sasuke wonder to himself why he hadn't been able to rip through before. It seemed so simple. The goo splashed onto the floor and onto the white cloth covering the medical table, staining it a light blue. The man holding the scalpel set the tool down, then grasped the edges of the opening he had just made and pulled them farther apart. He ordered his assistant to grab the other side and push Sasuke out onto the table, and the young man obeyed hesitantly. The Uchiha within the deflating egg began to squirm and thrash, feeling his gills seal up before the liquid had fully drained out. A flash of light and a loud slurping was all he sensed before his side slammed down onto the cold table, squeaking as his lungs expanded with fresh air. He coughed a few times, muscles too weak to allow him movement.

"He's choking." He heard overhead, then felt two hands grab his chin and fingers shove past his lips. Sasuke whined and tried to gasp, feeling something thick and warm block the oxygen out. Then it vanished, along with the probing hands. The boy collapsed with a heavy breath, shivering from his weakness.

The man looked at the glob of bloody mucus in his hand, eyeing it worriedly before plopping it into the waste basket. He returned his gaze to the quivering boy, who was covered in a layer of shimmering, sticky slime, which plastered his hair down around his pale face.

"We need to clean him up before Orochimaru-sama sees him. He's disgusting with all that . . . stuff on him. Was this Kabuto's idea?" he asked his assistant, who only gulped nervously. "Well, get the water going. This shouldn't be too hard to spray off." Those words made Sasuke's heart leap. Why couldn't he move? Why was he still weak? He'd thought Kabuto had said this would make him stronger, and if it had, what exactly had happened to him? His wondering was halted as a rush of water hit his bare skin, making a helpless cry slip past his lips.

"Don't worry, his muscles are almost nonexistent right now. He can't hurt us."

"What about . . . that jutsu?"

"I don't think he has the strength to open his eyes. He's not even facing you, so just calm down." Sasuke listened over the spray of water, shivering at the chilliness. It was freezing. Though, he had been in a warm environment the past weeks—but he still was't sure how long he had been 'morphing'—so maybe the water was't actually that cold; his body was just used to constant heat. He spat out some slime as the spray washed over his face, the assistant's hands fisting into his slick hair and turning his head for a better view. Sasuke whined in a miserable, rundown voice.

"Oh, be quiet. You're fine," the older sounding man chuckled, grabbing a towel and beginning to dry him off as the spray moved down his body. He was washed, toweled off, and left to lie quietly on the table while Orochimaru was searched for. Sasuke cracked his foggy, black orbs open cautiously, feeling cold air wash over his nude figure. A small glimmer of panic reached him, and his gaze began to dart wildly around the cell. It was empty, he was alone. But not for long, he knew. Orochimaru would be in here any minute to see his new creation, though he himself couldn't view the specimen. His neck was too weak to move his head properly. He'd have to wait till he regained his strength. Floating about weightlessly for so long was obviously the cause for his muscles' disappearance, and he hated that fact indignantly. The Uchiha moaned as he tried rolling onto his back, freezing as the sound of the door opening reached his ears. The wood scraped against the cold, stone floor harshly, making Sasuke grit his teeth in discomfort. Cold hands found his chin and hair, and he was moved in such a way that he knew he was being examined.

"My, my. Your scales and eyes are beautiful now, Sasuke-kun . . . You look like _me_," the snake hissed, verbal lust dripping from his tongue and making the boy cringe as much as he could. Like him? Like _him_? He swore he'd _murder_ Kabuto if the man was telling the truth. "Would you like to see, Sasuke-kun; see how wondrous you look?" His teacher chucked, turning to receive a mirror from one of the medics. They never lifted their heads enough to meet the ninja's gaze.

"Why . . . It couldn't have worked . . . I'm so . . . . . weak," the Uchiha whispered, managing to crack his eyes open a tad. Nausea caught him in a vice-like grip. Two snake eyes were peering back at him. His eyes. That bastard-snake's eyes. His lips quivered as horror froze his heart and swelled painfully in his chest, accompanied by numerous screams he needed to let out. His skin was shiny and sleek, small scales appearing in patches here and there. His eyes were, as Orochimaru had said, like his, but much less bright. They did not glow with malice like his sensei's did so eerily. After a minute of silence passed, Sasuke managed to gulp, forcing himself to try and start breathing again. A cold hand trailed down the side of his face, caressing his cheek lovingly. Tears filled his eyes as he realized he, too, felt this cold now.

"Just like me, Sasuke-kun."

* * *

**Aw shit, that took way too long to write. I'm so sorry guys! School has been such a drag lately. I promise to update as soon as finals are over and the time comes back into my schedule!**

**Hope you enjoyed it, Rose-chan. It was inspired slightly by a scene in the movie The Island. If you've seen it, it should ring a bell. The egg sacks and all that goo crap. This MAY become a two-shot, though idk. I'm a bit of a slacker, and don't think adding yet another job to my update list would help me at all.**

**Reviews are appreciated!**

_Nat_


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